Explosive compound.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTQEQ MILTON SMITH TALBOT, OF DURBAN, hliATAL;ALBERT A. SHUTER, OF DURBAN, NATAL, ADMINISTRATOROF SAID TALBOT,DECEASED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 3, 1906.

Application filed December 28,1903. Serial No. 186,910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON SMITH TAL- BOT, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at 73 Alexander street, Durban, Na tal', haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosive Compounds andin the Manufacture Thereof, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

According to this invention I form an explosive from potassium chlorateand camphor, to which is preferably added some body-such as caster-oil0r paraffin-wax, for instance which will prevent deterioration due tovola tilization of the camphor or other causes. The proportions shouldbe about fourteen parts of chlorate to one of camplior and, say, one ofcaster-oil. To these main constituents may be added others capable offacilitating the reaction or of modifying the rate of explosionsuch asmanganese dioxid, for instance. I have also found that burnt umberenhances the effect of the powder.

A mixture giving a very efficient powder for blasting purposes may bemade from the following: potassium chlorat fifty-six parts; camphor,four parts; caster-oil, four parts; burnt umber, eight parts; manganesedioxid, four parts; potassium bichromatc, twelve parts; water, twelveparts.

The method of n'ianufacture is preferably as follows: The umber,manganese dioxid, and bichromate are well mixed with the water, whichshould be warm, and the camphor, which has been previously well powderedand mixed with the caster-oil, is added. When the whole has been wellstirred together, the powdered chlorate is gradually added with constantstirring until a mixture of even quality and character-is produced. Themixture is run out in thin layers and allowed to dry. After drying itcan be ground into a powder or out up and made into cartridges of anysize or form which may be desired. It is then ready for use.

The explosive compound so manufactured is very powerful, is extremelysafe in manipulation and use, being much less sensitive to friction orpercussion than any explosive now manufactured, and is almost entirelyfree from smoke or noxious fumes on explosion.

N hat I claim is Au explosive containing an' alkaline chlorate, camphormixed in explosive proportions and caster-oil.

2-. An explosive containing fourteen parts of potassium chlorate, onepart of camphor and one part of castor-oil.

3. An explosive containing an alkaline chlorate, camphor, caster-oil andmanganese dioxid.

4. An explosive containing an alkaline chlorate, camphor, caster-oil,manganese dioxid, burnt umber and potassium bichromate.

5. An explosive consisting of fifty-six parts of potassium chlorate,four parts of camphor,

four parts of caster-oil, eight parts of burnt umber, four parts ofmanganese dioxid and twelve parts of potassium hichroinate.

. MILTON SMI'IH TALBOT.

Witnesses:

Em. Tunnnns, DUTTON HARKEY BLYTII,

